Fú Lóng Gān (伏龙肝), known in English as Oven earth (cooked yellow earth) (Terra Flava Usta), is a warm, acrid Chinese herb from the Stop bleeding category. It enters the Spleen and Stomach channels. Its main action: warms the middle and stops bleeding.
| Pinyin | Fú Lóng Gān (Fu Long Gan) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 伏龙肝 |
| English | Oven earth (cooked yellow earth) |
| Botanical name | Terra Flava Usta |
| Category | Stop bleeding |
| Nature | Warm |
| Flavour | Acrid |
| Channels | Spleen, Stomach |
| Dosage | 15–30g (wrapped), or 60–120g decocted first and the water used |
| Cautions | Bleeding or vomiting from heat |
Actions
- Warms the middle and stops bleeding
- Stops vomiting and diarrhoea from Spleen cold
Indications
- Spleen Yang deficiency failing to hold Blood: dark blood in the stool, vomiting of blood, uterine bleeding
- Vomiting from cold
- Chronic diarrhoea
How to remember Fú Lóng Gān
Stop bleeding herbs are mostly cool or cold and bitter, and most enter the Liver channel.
- You can work these out
- Spleen and Stomach channels: from its action “Stops vomiting and diarrhoea from Spleen cold”
- Learn by heart
- Warm: unusual for Stop bleeding herbs (most are cool or cold)
- Acrid: unusual for Stop bleeding herbs (most are bitter)
Formulas containing Fú Lóng Gān
Other Stop bleeding herbs
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Fú Lóng Gān?
Fú Lóng Gān is warm and acrid.
Which channels does Fú Lóng Gān enter?
Fú Lóng Gān enters the Spleen and Stomach channels.
What are the actions of Fú Lóng Gān?
Warms the middle and stops bleeding; Stops vomiting and diarrhoea from Spleen cold.
What is Fú Lóng Gān used for?
Spleen Yang deficiency failing to hold Blood: dark blood in the stool, vomiting of blood, uterine bleeding; vomiting from cold; chronic diarrhoea.
Which formulas contain Fú Lóng Gān?
Huáng Tǔ Tāng.
Practise Fú Lóng Gān and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.